


A Lifetime Together (Hange x Female Reader)

by Candle_lighttt



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, 進撃の巨人 | Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan (Movies)
Genre: Commander Erwin, Corporal Levi - Freeform, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, F/F, Female Hange Zoë, Friends to Lovers, Girl x Girl, Hange Zoë & Levi Are Best Friends, Hange Zoë's Experiments, Lesbian, Lesbian Relationship, Platonic to Romantic, Scientist Hange Zoë, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Titan experiments, Updated weekly, Year 845, Year 850, aot - Freeform, aot fanfic, aot x reader, attack on titan x reader, female titan - Freeform, friends fall in love, hange and reader fall in love, hange x reader, snk, snk fanfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 18:14:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28996545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Candle_lighttt/pseuds/Candle_lighttt
Summary: Like many others, you were a girl born into poverty inside the walls. You had always enjoyed singing, and when your parents ran into financial struggles, you were forced to use your talent in local bars to make money.One day, an eccentric brown haired girl noticed the sound of your voice, and couldn't help but to come in to listen. The pair of you made friends, but not for long. She suddenly had to leave after a couple hours of talking. Will you see the enchanting girl again? You didn't know, but you never forgot meeting her.STATUS: ONGOINGUPLOAD SCHEDULE: Once a week, usually I week after the previous chapter was uploadedStarted: January 25, 2021AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a slowburn. Also, in this story I chose to use she/her pronouns for Hange and depict her as a woman. No lemons in here. Check the Story Details for a more in depth explanation! Enjoy everyone!
Relationships: Eld Jinn & Reader, Eld Jinn/Reader, Erwin Smith/Mike Zacharias/Hange Zoë, Erwin Smith/Reader, Gunther Schultz/Reader, Hange Zoë & 104th Training Corps, Hange Zoë & Reader, Hange Zoë/Reader, Hange Zoë/Titans, Hange Zoë/You, Levi Ackerman & Furlan Church & Isabel Magnolia, Levi/Eren Yeager, Levi/Erwin Smith, Levi/Hange Zoë, Levi/Isabel Magnolia, Moblit Berner & Hange Zoë, Oluo Bozado & Eld Jinn & Petra Ral & Gunther Schultz & Reader, Oluo Bozado/Petra Ral
Comments: 6
Kudos: 50





	1. Story Details/Author's Note

Hello everyone! This is my first fanfic that I'm forcing myself to dedicate to until it's completed lmao. But here's some details about the story!

As for length, each chapter will be a minimum of 4000 words, and this story is going to be very long. So you guys will get lots of content!

This is going to be a long slowburn romance, from friends to lovers. Y/n and Hange meet when they're 17 years old in 839, six years before Shiganshina falls. They're then separated for two years, and when they join the Cadets after those two years they reuinite. The story continues from there as they graduate and join the Scouts. No lemons in this, as far as warning goes there'll just be violence and some swearing.

And yeah! You'll meet Oluo, Petra, Eld, Gunther, Erwin, and Levi, and his old friends once you're in the Scouts. I'm going to try and keep it as true to the timeline and story as I can, but I may get a few things off from time to time. Feel free to tell me too! 

The main cast like Eren, Armin, Mikasa, will come in the story 850, when Hange and Y/n are 28. Like I said, I'm trying to keep close to the actual story and ages. 

I dont know when I'll stop or conclude the story. I might continue it into season 4, but I may end it earlier than that. But I have a solid 9 years to write about as I start the story way before the actual show. So there'll be tons of content either way. We'll see how it goes! 😁😁

Anyways, I'm always open to suggestions for things you guys want in the story, and if I write something confusing don't hestitate to ask me about it! I'm gonna put a ton of work into this so I really hope you all like it! 

Enjoy! Have a great day and happy reading!


	2. 1. The Brown Haired Beauty

I had always loved to sing. My parents often told me they enjoyed my melodies as well. They didn't have lots of free time to spend with me because they had to work, so in the evenings we had together they frequently asked me to perform a little song for them. It was pleasant. I would sit on our dark crimson rug by the fire, while my mom and dad sat in small, tan-colored chairs. The warmth from the hearth drove out the frigidness of outside, leaving a calm and cozy feeling throughout the house. That was an aspect about my home I loved as a child, and it was enjoyable while it lasted.

One day, my neighbor was coming over to return some leftover flour she had borrowed. She was a plump, old lady around the age of seventy. She had short, curly gray hair, and her eyes were a deep navy blue. Her name was Petunia Aber, and she lived alone. The woman had heard me singing while coming into the house, and excitedly revealed how she had once been an opera singer. Ms. Aber used to be hired to perform for the King and the wealthy people within Wall Sina. Upon losing her beauty due to age, she wasn't in demand as much as she got older. Of course, as a result, she had fewer job opportunities and became poorer. No longer could she afford to live amongst the rich. She soon moved out to Wall Rose where she could afford to live.

It was then that my neighbor offered to me what I thought was the most thrilling news to my six-year-old self, "Oh, you've got such a cute singing voice darling! I think you have a decent amount of potential. I could give you a few lessons if you'd like," she said with a big smile, "You and I are both home alone quite a bit anyway, and we'd give each other some company."

And so that I did. Every afternoon after I got home from school, I went next door to take singing lessons from Ms. Aber. There was never a dull moment in lessons, and afterwards we'd make tea and chat until my parents returned home. Though I enjoyed her company, I often wished I could have played with the other children in the neighborhood. But we lived in a dangerous, more run-down area because we were poor. So it was safer to keep me inside unless I had a strong adult around. Sadly, most of the children nearby had to do the same.

Mrs. Aber had so many stories to tell about her time in Wall Sina, and always treated me with such care and kindness. She was like a grandmother that I never had, and understanding that I couldn't be with my friends a lot, made it her personal goal to make sure I was always laughing and in a good mood.

Because of the lessons, she and my parents got to know each other better as well. Every evening she came over for dinner, and talked about my progress as a singer and about general life things. She became an addition to our family, and we loved her as much as if she were related to us.

Those were some of the most peaceful times in my life. I smile anytime I think back to them. Yet, like any good thing in this world, they didn't last long. When I was twelve, a disease spread throughout all three of the walls. Luckily, my parents and I didn't catch it. Ms. Aber was too old and frail to be immune, though, and soon fell ill.

For a while, we couldn't do much for our neighbor. We could only go over to her house for a minimal amount of time with heavy face coverings. Usually my parents just tied a giant piece of cloth over their noses and mouths. They went over to check on her and make sure she was alright and eating once every day. She was very sick, and we were terrified; there was no way to cure her.

It took a while, but eventually a certain man named Grisha Jeager invented a vaccine. My parents and I were eternally grateful, because it just managed to save Ms. Aber's life. Her health never returned to what it was before, though, and she was left permanently much weaker than she was before. She couldn't take care of herself as much, nor did she have much money to do so either. So, of course, my parents did the best they could to help. They worked extra hours to pay for the additional medicine she now needed.

Upon Ms. Aber's suggestion, I started working at a local bar as a background singer to help the three adults with their finances. I seemed to be popular, too, because to my surprise I gained a lot of tips. Maybe those lessons actually paid off, I thought at the time. But I was thankful; this small income I brought home made all the difference for my parents.

Unfortunately, the disease had similar long lasting affects on other people, requiring them to buy additional medicine as well. The market for these drugs started to become scarce, and became less and less available in the stores. They frequently sold out. Even our family was affected, and we couldn't get Ms. Aber the neccessary medicine she needed. Like I said, she was old and weak. Other young people could go a while without medication because their young bodies could heal against the aftermath of the virus. It's extra. Ms. Aber couldn't, and the longer she was without her medication, the weaker and weaker she got.

Much to my horror, my parents decided to resort to drug dealers to get our neighbor's medicine. It was the most dangerous decision they could make, but unfortunately, they were desperate. A week after my parents started getting Ms. Aber's medicine illegally, word got around about what my they were doing. As expected, people were pissed that they were buying limited resources for an old lady who they thought wasn't gonna last long. My mom and dad started to get rude glares in the streets, and harsher tones were used when the townsfolk spoke to them.

Seeing as we lived in a more dangerous area, my parents came home scared every night. I was worried all day, and it became more difficult to pay attention in school. My parents lied to me about the situation, though. They would tell me everything was fine. It wasn't. I'm sure that they understood I didn't believe them, but it was most likely the only way they felt they could comfort me. Nothing they said helped, though; I saw them get threatened in the streets, citizens telling them to stop purchasing the medicine. My dad would agree only to stop the aggression, but never actually listened to them.

That was the decision that resulted in their death.

And then the end of the week came. It was a quiet day, and as I walked home from school I noticed that nobody was giving me dirty looks. Instead, faces of sympathy and saddness seemed to be the only thing I saw, especially from the older men and women. That's when I noticed something was off. I began to feel scared. My body became more stiff, and my pace quickened. I didn't know what, but something had happened, and I needed to get home to my parents to find out.

The door creaked as I opened it and walked into my house, going into the living room looking for my mom and dad. This morning, they told me they were getting off of work early in the afternoon. But right now, the house was silent, and there was no proof of my parents' presence. My heart was thumping in my chest.

I called out to them anxiously, "Mom? Dad? The people outside are acting really weird. What happened?? The old people are...."

My voice trailed off as my eyes stopped in the middle of the room. There on the wooden floor of the kitchen laid my parents, dead...

_Dead._

I didn't know what to do. I was too appalled to speak, to cry, or to shout. It sure wasn't a sight for sore eyes, to say the least, and there was more blood than I wish to recollect.

My eyes stuck to my parents like a hawk. My younger self was almost in denial, not fully registering the situation. I remember not thinking anything; just having overwhelming anxiety and the sense of wanting to walk over to them but not being able to. At some point I noticed my knees were on the ground, my arms and legs were shaking. The room was silent and the air was still, and the smell of the dead became more and more intense as the minutes passed.

Then, suddenly, my legs stood me up, walked me to my room, retrieved all my belongings, and went next door. I put my stuff in the spare room of my neighbor's house. If there were more details as to what happened, my mind has blocked the memories out by now. But, I do know that I never returned to my old house.

It was only a couple of nights later, then living with Ms. Aber, did I fully understand what had happened. And for the first time since their death, the daze I was in went away. My chest felt profusely tight, more so that it had ever felt in my life, and I wept into my pillow until I fell asleep.

I was twelve, now being responsible for both myself and an old lady. My only income was singing in the local bar down the street. Luckily, I had my parents' savings, and combining it with Ms. Aber's, really helped us. It wasn't much due to how poor my parents and neighbor both were, but it relieved a great deal of stress off my heart.

Ms. Aber kept me some company, but she was too sick and tired to make lots of conversation. Singing lessons happened rarely now, though I still kept up with daily warmups and practice.

Life just became dull. I couldn't feel much, for there wasn't a lot going on in my life to have emotions about. I went to school, then to work, got paid, and went home. There wasn't much chat between me and my old neighbor anymore, even though I tried my best. Like I said before, life was challenging at the time, and sometimes finding the energy to converse with each other got hard.

But, I understood how she felt and she understood how I felt. And together we kept up each other's spirits. Simple things like cooking together, cleaning together, fixing things in our home that broke; even if we talked minimally during that time, those occations brought us joy and comfort. It reminded us to appreciate the small things we still had, and to appreciate each other. She is a wonderful woman and role model that I love with all my heart, and she helped me through those times.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Five years have passed since then, and I'm now seventeen. I'm still working in the same bar, and still living with the even older Ms. Aber. We get by pretty well. There isn't a need to worry about food or paying rent anymore, which I'm happy for.

Another good thing that's happened is that I've been promoted to a lead singer, which pretty much just means I make more money and have to work more shifts.

I've also learned that having worked in the same location since I was twelve has allowed me to become pretty well known in my area. A lot of people come to hear me and some of the other well known musicians perform, and there's some really lovely regulars we get.

Though, amongst that I get some weird attention, which, unfortunately, comes from drunk middle aged men. While I wish it didn't get on my nerves and bother me, it does. They treat me like a hired maid, and demand my attention when I'm not singing. Some of them try to get handsy, too, and it takes all of my patience not to haul off and sock them in the face.

For the sake of keeping my job and keeping peace in the bar, I try to solve it as calmly as possible. Sometimes I just completely lose my temper, though, and kick them out of the bar. A few of the nicer patrons usually come to my aid as well, and every so often they take care of the removal for me. It's extremely satisfying.

Today had been a good day. I got a hundred percent on my math test, which I had been studying a week for. It brought my grade up a lot too, and I was damn proud of myself! Normally, my math tests do not go that well. I just can't do math.

Opening the door, I walk into the bar to get ready for my early evening shift. I had just finished dinner with Ms. Aber, telling her about my newest success in school. To be fair, I kind of forced her to be my math tutor. So technically the credit for my A isn't all mine.

I say a quick cheerful greeting to my coworkers, grab a wet rag, and proceed to clean off the empty tables. It was only around 5 pm, so the bar was nearly empty. A few patrons sat at the bar, while a group of friends sat at a table in the corner. But it was a Friday night, and I was scheduled to be on stage at 5:30. People usually come from around the town to hear me and the other performers sing at the end of the week. So tonight is going to be busy as hell.

At least most of my job is just to sing, so my work never gets strenuous. But when I'm not performing, after singing by myself or with my coworkers, I go around and help serve customers. Not only does it boost business, but also my tips. I mean, I won't complain if people decide to hand me some extra coins or bills when I walk around, you know? I'm poor, I'll take what I can get.

After I finish cleaning, I go in the back and join the other singers who are just arriving. We warm up and prepare our music for the night, chitchatting amongst the practice. Then, hearing the boisterous laughing and talking from the front, I realize it's time to start the show. The pianist and I walk out and onto the stage, earning a round of loud cheering from the crowd. Tonight I'm the opening act, singing some soft jazz. It'll loosen people up. Then, later into the night, some fiddlers will come up and play some jigs. This usually results in many people dancing while drunk, making for great entertainment.

After setting up, the pianist cues me, and I start to sing. I look upon the full bar, feeling any negativity fade from my mind. I had always thought that perhaps being forced to work here followed by my parents dying would have made me dislike singing, but it never ceased to be my favorite hobby. It always brought me joy, and was one of the few good things in my life.

A table cleared in the front, as a couple men left the bar. Not soon after, I notice a girl about my age walking in, appearing to be looking for something or someone. She had her hair in a high ponytail and wore glasses.

I was surpised to see another teenager here. Maybe she wanted to sneak a drink, which I see happen from time to time, or perhaps she was here to meet a friend that was an adult. Which honestly wouldn't be a better option. But upon seeing me, her eyes lit up, seeming to have found what she was looking for. Spotting the clear table, she quickly walked over and took a seat.

And there she sat, proceeding to listen to my entire performance. Luckily when the waitress came over, the girl neither asked for or was allowed to order alcohol. Something I found interesting was that when asked what she wanted, the girl ordered a straight glass of orange juice.

 _Ha! I don't think I've even seen somebody order that in the entire time I've worked here!_ It took me by such suprise that I almost burst out a laugh while singing.

But other than that, she was pretty calm, just sipping her juice and enjoying the concert with a content smile. Every now and then she would glance up at me on stage, joy in her face. And when each song ended, she loudly cheered and clapped for me.

Our eyes met, and a warm smile came to my face, and it wouldn't go away. _It's always nice when people enjoy my singing. And this girl, her energy is the most enjoyable thing I've witnessed all night... I have to try and become her friend,_ I thought. And as I ended my last song, I was determined to greet her first. But as I walked off stage and over to her table, she beat me to it.

"Excuse me, miss!" she called out, causing me to smile once again as I stopped at her table.

"Yes? Do you need anything? A refill on that orange juice maybe? You know, it's not everyday you see someone request that." I retorted, recieving a small laugh in return.

"No, thanks! But hey, you noticed what I was drinking!"

It was my turn to laugh, "Well, I noticed you were a minor when you walked in, so I was seeing if you were gonna try and get alcohol. You almost made me lose my composure on stage when you asked for juice! It was the randomest thing I've seen someone order!"

She gave me a grin and shrugged, "What can I say? I just really like orange juice."

She paused, trying to remember something, before her face suddenly lit up in recognition. The dark haired girl clasped both my hands in hers excitedly, looking into my eyes before exclaiming, "I almost forgot to tell you! Your singing, my God it's so pretty! Your voice is so smooth and soft, it sounds like silk! I could listen to you for hours!!"

I blinked at her, kind of surprised at her genuine display of kindness. It's not every day people are that pleasant to each other. Then again, she seems like the type to say what's on her mind.

I get a little shy at the compliment, smiling back at her, "Thank you, I think that's about the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."

She lets go of my hands and I laugh awkardly before continuing, "You seem really cool. I don't know about you, but I think we should be friends."

"Really?? I was thinking the same thing!" she replied, adjusting her glasses before extending a hand, "My name's Hange. What about you?"

"I'm Y/n," I say shaking her hand, "Nice to meet ya."

I see my coworker walk by, and I'm about to ask her if I can take a break to talk to Hange before she speaks with a soft expression, "I see that look on your face, there's no need to even ask me, Y/n! You work hard enough, take off the rest of the night. You can hang out with your friend."

"Thank you so much!" I reply, and turn back to my peppy new acquaintance.

Hange and I proceed to talk for the next couple hours, absorbed in conversation about all sorts of things. The vibrant girl would tell me about all her favorite things, and she loved to talk about everything in great detail. By the end of the night, I knew the entire plot to her favorite book series. And when the fiddlers came on stage, we laughed until we cried at the drunks dancing around. One guy even jumped up on a table seating five, preceding to fall and flip it over, sending us both into more fits of cackling. Hange even made me get up and dance around at one point.

I was having the most fun I had in a longer time than I could remember. Sure, I have other friends, but usually I have to focus on work and school, so there's not much free time in my schedule. Even so, none of my friends are as high spirited as Hange.

_She's gonna be a great addition to my friend group, everyone's gonna love her!_

Hange leans her elbows on the wooden table casually, "Hey Y/n, what time is it?"

I look behind me and out the windows, seeing that the sun has long gone down. The only light that remained was from the moon, and even its dim glow didn't do much to help see outside clearly.

"Hmm, it's hard to say. But judging by the fact that all the perfomers have finished performing, I'd say around midnight," I turn around and make contact with her coffee colored eyes, "You probably have to leave now, right? Even if you don't, you should. It's dangerous out and your parents are probably worried."

She quickly jumps up from her seat, her chair almost falling over from the sudden movement. "Midnight?!?!" She says loudly, "Shit. I lost track of time... Yeah, I need to get home, now. My parents are gonna kill me for being late, oh my God."

She starts going to the door, stopping midway to wait for me to get up, then weaves around the tables and through the crowd of patrons. I quickly follow, going outside so we can say our goodbyes. There's hesitation in my steps, though, as I start to get a little worried about her getting home on her own. Once we're outside in the cool night air, we stop and face each other.

The teenager beams at me, "Well Y/n, that was one of the best nights of my life," she says with a laugh, "I'll definitely stop by sometime again soon. We have got to hang out more often!"

Instead of agreeing and saying goodbye, I frown. "Hange. Tell me where you live and I'll walk you home. I live here, I know first hand how unsafe it is. I don't feel comfortable about just letting you go."

"Oh, it's fine!!" She says, waving her hand, "Besides, then you'll have to walk back double the length on your own, which is even more dangerous."

Before I have time to counter her argument, the door to the bar slams open with a bang, causing us both to jump at the noise. Out saunters a stumbling man, grumbling to himself. Clearly, he's had too much to drink.

_The dude's a regular,_ I note, _one of the regulars I particularly dislike. He's one of the older guys that likes me a little too much for comfort. He's a handsy one that likes to flirt._

I make a disgusted face and swiftly turn around to face Hange, hoping he wouldn't see me. I've kicked him out countless times for crossing the line and bothering my female coworkers and I. But he keeps returning, promising my boss he'll stop. The thing is, while he does stop, he only ceases for a short period of time, and then starts up his antics again. 

I hear his footsteps halt. It was too late, he had already spotted me.

"Hey Y/n! Beauuutiful singing as alwayssss," He says with an sly grin, swaying as he walks towards me, "It's been a wild night, huh? But it's quiet out here, I can talk to you now, hehe.."

Already uncomfortable, I try to quickly end the conversation. "No, I will not be talking to you. Please go home sir. Do not make me retrieve my coworkers and boss again. They will most likely ban you from the bar permanently this time," I said in a commanding tone.

Hange, who had started to guess that this was a common occurence I had with the man, came to stand beside me, her face growing stern.

"Eh?? Come on, it's a Friday night! Don't ruin my good mood now," he said, his toothy grin starting to turn into a scowl. Hange decided it was her turn to step in and try to put an end to the situation. The girl took a step forward, now slightly standing in front of me.

"Actually, she's going to walk me home," Hange stated, pausing for a second to think before continuing, "she promised my parents she would. So they're going to expect to see Y/n as well as me when I arrive home. And I'm late as it is, so she can't talk to you tonight."

_Well, that was an impressive on-the-spot lie. If I play along, this should get him to back o-_

The drunkard gets closer, jaunting out his face in anger. I could smell the alcohol on his breath as he spat, "I wasn't speaking to you, little girl!" He then grabbed my arm, trying to pull me away. This was escalating fast, and I was beginning to get fearful. So, I tried to do the most sensible thing before resorting to knocking his ass on the floor. I rip my arm out of his grip.

"You've heard her speak. I have to leave. I'll repeat myself: _go home_ , and just this once I won't report to my boss about this. _Go_."

He was silent for a split second, and then there was a blur. Suddenly, I felt the palm of his hand collide with the side of my face. My eyes widened; the man had caught me off guard. The next thing I know, I was sitting on the pavement, sort of in shock, and feeling a slight amount of pain in my cheek.   
Hange rushes to my side and kneels down, "Oh my God, are you okay?!"

_That's it._

"Yeah, I'm fine," I reply angrily, while standing up. I gather my courage and walk over to the man, using my palm to push the man's jaw back in the air, before swiftly kicking his fat stomach and sending him to the ground. Grabbing Hange's arm, I quickly start to walk in the opposite direction, trying to get away. 

After leading the girl down a few blocks away, I let out a relieved sigh, as the tension from before starts to ease. I become aware of the cold, as wind blows in my face. The temperature has significantly dropped since the sun set, and even in the dark my breath has started to become visible. Despite it all, the mocha haired teen turns to me with her usual energetic demeanor.

"Ha! You certainly got him to back off! But your face, is it alright? Your left cheek is still a little red... And I mean, in general, how are you holding up? That man was horrible," Hange said, concern in her eyes.

I slowly look to the dark haired girl with a shaky smile, "Oh me? I'm fine! I deal with him and a few others like that regularly, so it's no biggie." My face drops slightly as I continue, "They usually don't get so aggressive, though."

This gave the opposite reaction I was looking for, her expression becoming more upset, so I added in quickly, "I know self defense though! I just used it against that guy! My boss and coworkers taught me when I started working here. I'm a girl, you know, so this job can be a little dangerous sometimes. But the other people I work with always help me out if I'm being bothered! So it's okay!"

Hange just stared at me with a discontented look, before bursting out, "Why are you even allowed to work in a bar so young?! Why did your parents even let you work there? That shouldn't be a normal type of thing you have to deal with."

"Well, I started working there when I was twelve-"

 _"Twelve?!"_

I let out an awkward laugh, "Yeah, my family was in a tough spot financially. And I knew how to sing because I used to take lessons for it. So when we saw the job opportunity, they had me apply for it. We had to explain the situation to the owner too, because it was the only reason he allowed me to work there. And, sure, my financial situation has improved since then, but it's my only source of income. So I need it, at least until I graduate high school and go off to college."

Still, Hange seemed to be a little confused. "Your only source of income? What about your parents' jobs?"

My expression falters somewhat at this. I shift my weight uncomfortably before responding, "Ah, well, they.. passed away a few years ago. I live with my neighbor, but she's old and sick. So I provide for us." 

Her face falls at this statement, "Oh, I'm so sorry! So you have to do this all by yourself? Maybe I can talk to my parents when I get home. We could move your neighbor to an elderly home, and then you can move in with us or something. Listen, I'm seventeen, and I don't know how old you are, but you seem to be around the same age as me. Even if you're going to graduate in a year or so, you shouldn't have to deal with this until then." 

I can't help but let my face grow into a smile at this. Once again, she was being so incredibly kind to me despite only knowing me for a couple of hours. It was so rare to come across such people, and yet tonight, life decided to bless me with this wonderful new friend.

"I- that's so nice of you to offer, Hange," I start, "but that's a lot for your parents to deal with and pay for. And I don't exactly know if I'm comfortable with leaving my neighbor in a nursing home."

Hange looks conflicted, seemingly understanding my point while still disagreeing with it. She then looks at me with determination, "Alright then, Y/n, I get that. But. I'm gonna keep coming back to the bar to make sure you're okay."

Her face lightens up again, once again adjusting her glasses before continuing, "Besides, we just became friends. I can't just not come and see you."

To that, I let out a loud laugh. "I'd love that Hange. But right now, you have to go home. Your parents have to be extremely upset by now."

She let's out a disappointed sigh. "Yeah, you're right... Well, it was nice meeting you! Get home safe, okay? I'll be fine walking home alone. My house isn't far from here."

"You too! See you later!"

And without plan, we both give eachother a quick hug. Hange's embrace was warm, and in her arms I was immediately put in a better mood. For a moment, I completely forgot the earlier encounter with the rude man.

We giggle as we part and start to walk our separate ways.

"Bye, Hange!! Come back soon!" I exclaim.

"Bye bye, Y/n!! You bet I will!" she shouts back.

And with that, I walked back to my home in a peaceful and happy silence. The chill from the early hours of the morning didn't seem to bother me, and my mind was filled with the fun that happened tonight. Hange was truly one of the best people I've ever met, even if I just met her, and as I drifted off to sleep that night, I looked forward to all the memories I hoped to make with my new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note:
> 
> Upload Schedule: Every Sunday until completion (The day is subject to change, but it'll still be uploaded once a week)
> 
> Hello everyone! Hope you enjoyed the first chapter, this was sooo fun to write! 
> 
> 💀💀 I got so distracted and busy while writing this omg, hence why it took me almost a month to do this.


	3. Chapter 2: Reunitement

Hange didn't return, much to my disappointment. Days passed by, and I assumed that maybe she was just busy. But I realized she wasn't coming back when those days turned to weeks, and then to months, and finally, two years. I was so let down, and I'm still so confused about it. She had been so adamant about visiting that I honestly wouldn't have been surprised if she had shown up the very next day. My best guess is that her parents were absolutely livid with her for being so late and banned her from coming to the bar again. Understandably so.

The birds chirp as the morning sun shines through my window. As I lay in my bed, staring up at the ceiling, I let out an audible sigh, _I miss her_... _To this day, I still miss her_.

It's such a silly thing, really. My life had been so numb and isolating most of my teen years after my parents passed away; the grief caused me to push away most of the people I was close to. I was so confused, and hurt, and felt guilty, wondering if I could have prevented what happened. Ms. Aber especially felt this guilt, and even though she tried her best to keep us close, a distance grew between us, and it took a while to have as good of a relationship as we did before my parents' deaths. Eventually, some of my friends stopped trying to mend our friendships. And even though that just added to the pain, but I didn't have the strength to get myself together. For so long, I was just in a fuzz, purely in survival mode.

But out of nowhere, that girl came into my life. She was so full of happiness and a positive energy I had forgot existed in this world. Hange made me remember how it felt to be a young child again. That girl had made me authentically smile for the first time in years. And maybe it was my trauma, grasping for any form of comfort, but in the six hours or less that I knew her, I became attached. _I couldn't help it_.. She was so _fun_ to be around. And no one had ever been so enthusiastic to be around me. No one had ever shown such amiability towards me, or tried to reach out to me despite my outwards unaproachability. Or maybe people had, but for some reason, only Hange seemed to harness the ability to touch my heart. So I never forgot her. Every so often, she ends up crossing my mind. And I've made it a personal goal within myself to find her again someday.

As my mind returns to the present moment, I laugh to myself, _It makes me feel dumb at how cheesy my thoughts get sometimes._

Pushing myself out of my bed, I walk over to my window and open it, letting in the crisp air. The sun shines in my face and I close my eyes, soaking in the warmth as I feel myself waking up. A few minutes pass, and I decide to get dressed, putting on a pair of pants and a casual blouse. My stomach rumbles, signalling it as time for me to go eat breakfast.

In the kitchen, Ms. Aber is already making oatmeal. "Goodmorning!" I hum with a small smile, retrieving us two bowls and spoons from the cabinet and drawers and putting them down on the table. I fill two glasses with water and then set them down near the dishware.

"Goodmorning, dear! How did you sleep?" She responds, stepping towards me and pulling into quick embace. I return the hug.

"Hmm, I slept well!" I reply as a grin grows on my face, remembering my earlier pondering over Hange.

"So you're thinking about that girl again, huh?" She says slyly, looking at me before letting out a boisterous laugh.

In response, I just giggle, "Maybe~! I was just wishing I could see her again and be her friend, for like, the _millionth_ time." There weren't any secrets between us, and I tell Ms. Aber practically everything about my life. So, naturally, she's well aware of Hange.

My neighbor responds with her usual reply to the conversation, with grandmother-like gentleness in her voice, "Well, I'm sure you will. It's a small world within the walls, so you're bound to bump into her eventually. And you got along really well from what you told me, so I'm sure she'd like to see you again as well." I give a hum of agreement in return, and we sit down to a peaceful breakfast.

I look around the small kitchen as we eat, taking in the details of the room. Around six months ago or so, Ms. Aber and I moved to a nicer and safer town. A more well known singing group from here had found me and offered a spot in their troupe. I took the job instantly; the job paid much more and they performed in a more middle class city, meaning Ms. Aber and I could finally live somewhere safe. They also perform in a restaurant, so I don't have to be in a bar until late at night every day. Not to mention we wouldn't have to worry about money much anymore.

Now, this opportunity has been great. It's brought so much security to my neighbor and me. But for a while now, I've been thinking about my future, and what I'd like to do as an adult. I'm nineteen now. While I like singing, it's always been just a hobby, and I've worked as a singer out of need, not want. It isn't what I'd like to do as a career for the rest of my life...

That's the question, though. What _do_ I want to do? I believe I have some sort of an answer to that, yet I've been trying to dismiss it due to the fact that it would devistate Ms. Aber.

The truth is, I've been thinking about joining the Scout Regiment.

Let's face it, nothing in this world is guaranteed nor lasts forever. I've learned _that_ much in my life. But, this also includes humanity's safety within the walls. There's too many unknown factors about the walls or the titans for me to ever feel one hundred percent safe or at peace, even if titans haven't invaded for over a hundred years. My other reason for this is that I simply want to make an impact on the world. I want to do something good for humanity. And the best way I've decided I could fulfill that is through solving the mysteries that plague our species.

I'm still unsure about it though.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I head off to work, leisurely walking across down the street. In the middle of our small city is a town square. Benches are placed neatly around the clearing of grass, with a small flower garden the middle. It's a massive area, and people usually gather around here for picnics or to hang out with friends and family. I often come here with Ms. Aber in our free time.

Around the clearing was the town, and on the edges of the clearing were restaurants, specifically the one I was headed for. Sometimes my singing group and I perform out here, not only for fun but to also bring business to the restaurant.

Children were running and laughing as I neared the door to my workplace. As I reached for the door handle, one of them nearly knocked me over as they sped past me, causing me to stumble backwards. But before I can fall to the ground, I feel a strong hand being placed on my shoulder, steading me.

A deep voice speaks out politely behind me, "Hm, those kids need to be more careful. Are you alright, miss?"

I turn to see who had helped me, looking up to a tall, blonde man with bushy eye brows. He wore white pants and a matching buttoned up white shirt, appearing to be in his 20s.

"Oh, I'm fine! Thank you, though, Mr.." I trail off , not knowing his name. He realizes this, too, and gives me a smile, extending his hand.

"Ah, my name is Erwin Smith. Nice to meet you."

I shake his hand, returning the smile, "Likewise. I'm Y/n L/n. I work here at the restaurant," gesturing to the building in front of us, "Were you looking to go in?"

He nods, and I precede to open the door for him, both of us making our way inside. Before I have the chance to seat him, he spots another man at a table in the middle of the room and walks over, taking a seat. Funny enough, the second man is wearing similar attire, with the same white pants on, except he has on a gray button-up instead of white.

_They must be coworkers or something._

I don't think about it, though, and get straight to work. It's getting to be lunchtime, and customers are starting to fill in. I'm not performing today, but one of the waitresses had a doctor's appointment this morning, so I was asked to take her spot for the day.

Going around the room, I begin to take people's orders. Laughter and dim chatter fills the room, and I start to take notice of the small noises around me. Like the soft thunk of my shoes as I walk across the floor, or the ding of the bell signaling that someone's food is ready.

Then, I heard a conversation that caught my attention. It was coming from Erwin's table. What made my ears perk up specifically were the words, "Scout Regiment." Hearing that, my head suddenly shot up, trying to subtly listen to what they were saying without being obvious. I found a table near them that was a mess from the people who just left. Going over, I start to clean the dirty dishes off the table.

"So, Section Commander, back to what I was saying, I wanted to ask you if I could borrow a few other scout members for the Cadet Initiation in a week. They need more people to help with the introductory ODM gear lessons. We thought we had enough soldiers to help us, but recently, there's been an influx of people signing up last minute," the blond man's friend spoke.

Erwin shifted in his seat, leaning back and crossing his arms, "Well, as you know, there isn't much going on in the scouts right now. I don't see a problem with it, but I'll run it by the commander when we get back to headquarters."

After that, their conversation returned to normal mundane topics. I went to serve other tables, furrowing my eyebrows. My body went into autopilot as the thoughts in my head remainded swirling. _Well, what do I do? Cadet training starts in a week. I've been thinking about this for years. If I want to do this, I need to do so very soon. Besides, I don't even know where I would sign up, and if I decided now I, could ask Erwin._

Desperately, I look around the room at my surroundings as I continued to think, _But I could die. And my entire life would have been for nothing. How would Ms. Aber be able to live knowing I had passed away? How could I make her worry herself sick while I went on expeditions? Who does that? And if I die, I may never get the chance to see Hange again.._

Just then, another man walks in the room, going to the Scouts' table. He's the only one with their iconic green cape draped around his shoulders. The stranger sits with his back facing me, giving me a clear view of the Survey Corps emblem. This, unfortunately, only sends my mind into more disarray.

 _But, I want to make a meaningful impact on the world. I want my life to give me fulfillment. Being a waitress forever certainly wouldn't do this. And Ms. Aber won't be around forever... So what, then?! Will I ever do what I want? When she dies, is that when I'll start to finally live for myself_?

I realized at that moment that my mind had already been made up for a long time, but I had been pushing away the idea since the moment it entered my mind. The idea of a brutal death and worrying my only family member left scared me, naturally, yet the longing to change the world and understand its interworkings overcame that. And understanding the impermanence of good things in this life only reminded me that continuing to live the same life I live wouldn't ensure satisfaction and happiness either.

I stood up straight, feeling a weight lift itself off my shoulders. Everything seemed clearer now. Having made up my mind, I walk over to the table I had been eavsdropping in on. Slowly, my feet come to a stop, my face forming into my friendly waitress smile.

"Hello again, Erwin. This is going to sound strange, but I overheard you talking about the Cadet Initiation starting in a week. And, well, I've actually just decided to join. Could you tell me where to sign up?"

There's a silence across the table for a couple seconds, before the man Erwin had originally been talking to let's out a surprised laugh, "Ha! That's sure one hell of a coincidence! You know this girl, Erwin?"

The blonde politely ignores his friend's remark, turning to me, smiling once more, "Since we're here right now, Y/n, you won't need to go to the sign up location. I know your name already, so once we leave I'll just set you up at headquarters myself. I'll give you the directions to the training camp as well."

"Oh, that's so nice of you! Thank you!" I reply.

As promised, he tells me where the camp will be before he departs. I finish my shift, and later that afternoon as I return home, my heart sits heavily in my chest, filled with mixed emotions. That night, I break the news to Ms. Aber, explaining the reasons why I chose to join the Scouts. She was heartbroken, as expected, but to my shock, she showed no opposition to it.

She only looked at me with sadness in her eyes, before saying in a soft voice, "I understand, Y/n. You're an adult now, and you're starting to find your own path in life. This obviously means a lot to you. So I won't stop you... But promise to visit me as often as possible, alright?"

The night ended on a bittersweet note.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There's excitement in my steps as I make my way to the Cadet training camp. The weather today only improved my mood; the sky was clear with a gentle wind blowing. Today's the day I start my journey towards becoming a Scout... It's strange, though. I've dreamt about this day for so long, and here it was in front of my eyes.

Soon, I see a group of people huddled on the side of the road, lining up to get into the row of carriages riding towards us. They're all other cadets. From here we have to be taken over a mountain and into a small valley, where the base is. When we arrive, we're given our uniforms and shown to the bathrooms where we can change into them. I can't help but smile at the crowd of people. Another thing I've been looking forward to is making friends, and in front of me right now were tons of people within the same age range as me.

Once everyone is ready, the soldiers in charge line us up in rows in the middle of the camp. I'm placed near the front, within the first couple rows. A man in his thirties appears, a stern and serious look set upon his face. Once he gets to be in front of us, he stops walking and turns to us.

The man shouts to us in a booming voice, "HELLO CADETS! I'M COMMANDER KEITH SHADIS, WELCOME TO THE CADET CORPS. I'LL BE STARTING THE INITIATION."

I see a few people around me tense up at the sound of his voice. When everyone arrived at the camp earlier, there was talk going around explaining that Commander Shadis was infamous for his initiations. Apparently, he likes to get up in random cadets' faces and degrades them to test how prepared they are for the military.

The Commander starts walking around, looking at everyone with no sign of positive emotion on his face. He looks at everyone's face, trying to find someone looking afraid, nervous, or just someone he can pounce on. Suddenly, be stops at a boy in the front row, who straightens up immediately.

"WHAT'S YOUR NAME, CADET?" he yells, getting close and glowering into his face.

"OLUO BOZADO! I'M NINETEEN YEARS OLD, SIR!" he replies shakily, giving a salute. I could only see the back of his head, but he sounded nervous.

"I DON'T REMEMBER ASKING FOR YOUR AGE, BOZADO, DO YOU?"

His body slightly stiffened at this, before replying, "NO SIR! I PANICKED!"

"YEAH, WELL WHICH ONE BRANCH OF MILITARY DO YOU PLAN ON JOINING?"

He replied without hesitation, "THE SCOUT REGIMENT, SIR! I WANT TO ADVANCE HUMANITY!"

The commander let out a short, harsh, laugh. "WE'LL SEE ABOUT THAT, SOLDIER!"

And Shadis walked off, looking for someone else to make as his bait. It was silent. Nobody dared to speak, and the lack of noise was so clear that we could hear soldiers in the far distance chatting. A quick glance around showed the overly serious-faced cadets staring forward while forcing their posture to keep straight. .... But, it was in the process of looking around that I realized my mistake. And I felt absolutely stupid.

_Now I'm the one standing out. Isn't that great._

Desperately, I readjust myself, trying to blend back in. _Yeah... That was a hopeless attempt that didn't work in the slightest._ The Commander had already caught on, and gave a smirk seeing that I had became aware of my mistake. And over Shadis came, his boots making thuds in the dirt as he neared me.

"DAZING OFF ON THE FIRST DAY, I SEE?"

"NO, SIR, I WAS JUST LOOKING AROUND WAITING FOR WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT!" I reply, looking straight into his eyes as he spoke.

"LOOKING AT WHAT?? THE BIRDS?! HA! STATE YOUR NAME CADET!"

Still not breaking eye contact, I answer, "Y/N L/N, SIR!"

Commander Shadis seemed to be looking for something in my eyes. For a good ten seconds he stood still, scrutinizing me, and I stared right back, keeping my jaw clenched. It was _really_ awkward, and in any other situation I would have tried to get away from him by now. But upon seeing that whatever it was he was searching for wasn't there, he broke his gaze with me and walked away.

"Hmph! GOOD ENOUGH!" He shouted.

_I'm assuming he was looking for nervousness or fear. Ha! I felt both those things, that's for certain, but I sure as hell wasn't gonna let the old man see it. There's no way I was gonna embarass myself on the first day here._

Not much else happened the rest of the ceremony. He picked on people, finding the overly excited people and scaring them. He then found the most nervous people, intimidating them while being mere inches away from their faces. To the people who were being smartasses, he told them they had to do laps later before dinner.

Finally, the event was over and the crowd started to split up. People were starting to make their way over to a roster on the wall of the commander's cabin. There, it was announced by soldiers, was who we were assigned to room with. I was still standing in the formation we were in for the initiation; there were around twenty people crowding around a single piece of paper, and I thought it'd be better to just wait.

Then I heard a voice from behind me. A loud, deep, and boisterous voice.

"Y/NNN! Y/N L/N!!"

_No.. No way._

I never turned around faster than I did in that instant. I frantically scan the throng of people, trying to discern a girl with glasses and brown hair. When I see her, my eyes widen. Almost tripping over myself, I pick up my pace as I make my way over to her. Unconsciously, I start laughing in excitement.

"HANGE!! HIII!!"

Hange's entire face sparkled, wearing the biggest smile I've ever seen, and she bounces up, running towards me.

I reach her, and immediately, we wrap eachother into a hug. We're both giggling like crazy, and chatting about how long it's been since we last saw eachother. Hange's warmth is still the same, and her arms are still as comforting as ever. Even her glasses and hairstyle are the same. The only difference is that she looks slightly older.

I pull away, planting my hands on her shoulders.

"Hange! Where have you _been??_ You never came back to the bar!" I exclaim.

She looks at me hesitantly, before replying, "I meant to! But, we moved houses the next day! I thought we were moving a week later, but that turned out wrong."

Her expression then slightly falls, "I'm really sorry about that, Y/n. I was so mad at myself for leaving you hanging like that. Especially when you were forced to live in such hard conditions. Believe me, I tried to convince my parents to let me go back, too, but they were too upset about me going home late that night."

It surprised me that she was that bothered by the situation after all that time, so I gave her a grin in an attempt to cheer the girl up. "Nah, don't worry about that, Hange. You couldn't control the situation. It's fine! My neighbor and I even moved out of that town a while back, I don't work in a bar anymore, " I say, before looking back into her brown eyes, "But, we're gonna be training here together, though, so we can just resume being friends."

With the last sentence, Hange's mouth curles into a smile.

"Alright, if you say so. We better continue being friends! Now, let's go see who our roommates are!"

Hange suddenly taps my shoulder and speeds off, the sweet sound of her laughter ringing out. "Race you there!!"

Joyously, I follow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> Uploaded: February 11 2021
> 
> Hey yall! I'm trying to get the hang of an upload schedule, so sorry for you guys having to wait so long. I'll try to write alot and get another upload to you guys within the next few days to make up for the no updates the past couple weeks.


End file.
